Oakland International Airport, International Arrivals Building Improvements, Oakland, CA

Role: Prime ArchitectSize: 60,000 sfCompletion: 2018

AE3 provided architecture services for the building improvements of the International Arrivals Building (IAB) at the Oakland International Airport. This building provides all the required US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) passenger processing facilities for Federal Inspection Services for international arriving passengers. These facilities include the aircraft gate vestibules, the sterile corridor system, primary and secondary passenger processing, international baggage claim, in-transit lounge, and CBP office and support areas. Development of the schematic internal layout and CBP approval was completed by HNTB.

The 40,000 square foot IAB was originally constructed in 1972 and expanded in 1991. A 2014 facility assessment concluded that the IAB was functionally undersized and does not provide redundant baggage carousels to ensure operational reliability to accommodate current or future passenger levels and industry standard criteria for international passenger operations.

The project involved the design of building improvements to the IAB. These improvements included a new baggage carousel system; replacement of the old baggage carousel system; a building addition to provide space for queuing and a processing area to improve the primary screening operations; CBP office/support space as required to meet CBP requirements; new restroom facilities and updates to existing facilities; installation of passenger equipment and aesthetic upgrades; seismic upgrades to the completed structure to current codes; reconfiguration of the passenger boarding bridge; and reconfiguration of taxilanes and aircraft parking positions affected by the expansion.

The IAB remained operational during the expansion and modernization. Consequently, the design took into account the necessary phasing to maintain airline and CBP operations. The project had a tight schedule and the design timeline was limited to 5 months.